This week it was Tudor week on The Great British Bake Off and as an archaeologist/historian by trade, I was very interested to see what the contestants would be making. A signature savoury pie was the first challenge and as pastry used to be my nemesis in the kitchen, I decided to give it ago. My easy meat and onion pie is probably not fit for a Tudor banquet as it is not decorated in any shape or form but it is perfect for a family dinner.
This is the first time I have made a pie from scratch so I was a bit nervous before I started. However, thanks to my Magimix CS 4200 XL Food Processor making shortcrust pastry is very easy. You just add in the plain flour and lumps of cold butter, then add in a tiny bit of cold water until a ball of dough is formed. My ingredients for the pie all came from my usual supermarket of Tesco. The beef stock from them was excellent and it definitely gave my pie a much deeper flavour. I did cheat slightly with the baking part of my pie as I have a Belling BI60 MF Multifunction Oven which has an intensive baking feature meaning that pastry can go into the oven without being blind baked. If you do not have this feature on your oven, then you will need to follow the instructions for blind baking pastry here before you add the filling and the top.
- For the pastry
- 450g plain flour
- 200g cold unsalted butter, diced
- Pinch of salt
- 1-3 tablespoons cold water
- For the filling
- 250g beef steak mince
- 2 medium brown onions, peeled and finely chopped
- 450ml beef stock
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon tomato purée
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 2-3 carrots, peeled, finely chopped into small dice, cooked until tender
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- For the top of the pie
- 1 egg, beaten
- A grinding of pepper (optional)
- In a food processor, add in the plain flour and the butter and mix together until combined. Then add in the water a bit at a time through the funnel with the food processor working until a ball of dough is formed. Wrap the dough in some cling film and put in the fridge to chill while you make the filling.
- In a non -stick pan, start by frying the steak mince until starting to go brown, then add it the onion and fry over a medium heat until softened with no colour.
- Once all the meat is browned and the onion is softened, add in the stock, Worcestershire sauce, tomato purée and dried rosemary. Season with salt and pepper and allow to cook over a medium heat, stirring occasionally until only about a third of the stock remains. Add in the cooked carrots, season to taste again and then set aside to cool while you sort out the pastry.
- Remove about a third of the pastry from the ball and set aside for the lid. Roll out the larger bit of pastry in between two sheets of cling film until the pastry is big enough to fit your tin. Carefully put the pastry into the tin leaving the excess on the sides. Coat the sides of the pastry with the beaten egg to help the top stick on.
- Add in your cooled filling then roll out the smaller piece of pastry for the lid. Carefully place on top of the pie and fold the excess over to seal it. Brush with a beaten egg and top with a grinding of pepper if wanted.
- Place in a preheated oven set on intensive bake at 180 degrees C and cook for about 30 minutes until the top is golden brown, the pie is coming away from the tin at the sides and you hopefully do not have a soggy bottom!
For more meat pie ideas, please see:
Slow Cooked Lamb Filo Pies by Lovely Appetite
Sumptuous Turkey Pie by Fab Food 4 All
Leftover Roast Beef Pie by Elizabeth’s Kitchen Diary
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As ever I am linking up my GBBO bake with Jenny at Mummy Mishaps
and a Belling BI60 MF Multifunction oven for the purposes of a review. Tesco paid for the ingredients used in this post. All opinions are my own. I was not required to give a positive review. There are affiliate links in this post
Shortcrust pastry is so easy to make and so versatile. I agree with you, using the food processor makes baking pies so much easier.
Anca recently posted…Tudor Pie
I agree. Thank you
Mmmm what a classic looking pie Jo, just what a fancy for tea on these chilly autumn evenings. I’d have to make it with veggie mince for my family, but I think that’s easily achievable.
Katie Bryson recently posted…Creamy Veggie Sausage Pasta Bake
Thank you. Veggie mince and stock would work just fine I think. Let me know how you get on
That looks one very tasty pie:)
Jacqui Bellefontaine recently posted…Jumbles
Thank you 🙂
I love pie and I love how simple you’ve made it to make it 🙂
Sisley White recently posted…Healthy Halloween Snacks
Thank you 🙂
I am drooling now, I do love a good pie. Have pinned you for later #GBBOBloggers2016
Thank you 🙂
A super heart pie – not something I make too often but your Tudor-inspired bake would definitely encourage me to have a go!
Thank you 🙂
lovely looking homemade pie and i would think very tasty, served with some gravy, peas and mash! thank you for lining up x
Jenny Paulin recently posted…Project 366, 2016. Week 41
Thank you. That’s exactly how we served it! 🙂
YUM! This looks so delicious and really very easy – personally I would much rather have an easy peasy family dinner than a pie fit for a Tudor banquet! Thanks for linking up with #CookBlogShare 🙂 Eb x
Eb Gargano recently posted…Review: Food Writing Course at All Hallows Farmhouse with Delicious Editor Karen Barnes
Thank you and my pleasure